From German published patent application DE-OS No. 22 55 874 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,334, it is known to drive several engines in combination with a common crankshaft with the engines each having their own mixture-preparation apparatus and ignition apparatus. This can relate to a four cylinder V-engine having two mixture-preparation apparatus and two ignition apparatus. The positioning motors of the throttle flaps are synchronously actuated by a common control. If one engine of such a multi-engine drive system should fail, then this does not mean that the crankshaft comes to a standstill; instead, the malfunctioning engine is moved along by the other engine. For example, in the event of a failure of the ignition, this can lead to damage of the engine which is moved along.